Exclusive remedy is the core trade-off of workers' compensation: an employee hurt on the job receives guaranteed medical and wage benefits regardless of fault, and in exchange, workers' comp is generally the employee's only claim against the employer, rather than a lawsuit.
This protects both sides: the worker gets prompt benefits without proving fault, and the employer gets predictable exposure instead of open-ended liability.
Example: a warehouse worker injures their back lifting a box. Workers' comp pays their medical bills and part of their lost wages; because of exclusive remedy, the worker generally cannot also sue the employer for the injury.
Related: workers' compensation, sole proprietor. See the workers' compensation insurance overview.